Israeli President Reuven Rivlin began two days of crucial talks Sunday with party leers before selecting his candidate for prime minister, after a delocked repeat election was set to make forming any new government a daunting task. Israel's largely ceremonial president is tasked with picking politician with best chance of forming a stable coalition government. While usually a mere formality, this time Rivlin plays a key role after an election result in which neir of top candidates has an outright majority.

" president, in this case, will be very, very involved in particulars. He will ask for clear answers. I think he'll turn consultations this time into consultations that have ability to present or possibilities, of sort that public hasn't heard about yet" Harel Tubi, president's top aide, told Israel's Army Rio.

In last week's vote, Benny Gantz's centrist Blue and White party won 33 seats in 120-member parliament, while incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu's conservative Likud took 31 seats. Neir can muster a parliamentary majority with ir tritional smaller allies. deciding factor looks to be Avigdor Lieberman and eight seats his Yisrael Beitenu party captured. Lieberman is demanding a bro unity government with two major parties that are secular and excludes ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties. That appears to be emerging compromise between Blue and White and Likud, though both are insisting upon leing it.

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Netanyahu supported by allies

Complicating matters is Blue and White's refusal to sit with Netanyahu because he faces a likely indictment on corruption charges. first step out of quagmire is consultations at president's residence, where each of parties is asked to make its recommendations. Though Netanyahu's Likud dropped in support, its allies appear to give Netanyahu support of 55 members of parliament. For Gantz to compete, he'll need backing of Joint List of Arab parties, which emerged as third-largest party with 13 seats, and has tritionally refrained from openly endorsing a candidate for prime minister.

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Arab-led parties have never sat in an Israeli government and its leer, Ayman Odeh, says he is aiming to become opposition leer in case of a unity government. But he hasn't ruled out giving Gantz his recommendation to president to thwart ar Netanyahu-led government. It would make first time since 1992 Arab parties played a role in process. decision will come down later Sunday before party representative meets Rivlin. Rivlin's eventual candidate will have up to six weeks to form a coalition. If that fails, Rivlin could give ar candidate for prime minister 28 days to form a coalition. And if that doesn't work, new elections would be triggered yet again. Rivlin has said he will do everything possible to avoid such a scenario and one appears interested in a third Israeli election within a year.

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Lieberman, ally-turned-rival

Last week's vote happened because Netanyahu was unable to form a coalition after April's election without support of Lieberman, an unpredictable ally-turned-rival who has upended Israeli politics in recent months. nationalist, yet secular, former defense minister is still being coy about whom he will recommend as next prime minister. Overhanging whole process is Netanyahu's pre-indictment hearing scheduled in two weeks, after which he could face charges of bribery, breach of trust and fraud in three separate corruption cases. Netanyahu h hoped to secure a narrow majority of hard-line and religious parties that support granting him immunity from prosecution. With immunity w off table, Netanyahu is desperate to remain in office despite long odds. Israeli law does t require a sitting premier to resign if indicted. But if he is charged, as is widely expected, he would come under heavy pressure to resign. 

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